Industrial tools and systems are demanding ever greater levels of controllable DC power at high precision as part of their functionality. Quite often controlling the DC voltage, current and/or power being delivered is fundamental to the intended process. The size, bandwidth, precision and unintended effects of typical AC-DC power systems historically used in these applications present challenges to the modern system developer. This presentation examines typical AC-DC solution requirements for modern systems, highlighting areas such as control bandwidth, precision, power system size, power levels, compatibility with facility AC infrastructure, and cooling. Typical existing systems are reviewed, highlighting their advantages and drawbacks. An overview of latest generation scalable, wide range control AC-DC power systems utilizing both forced air and liquid cooling is also provided.
Gary Mulcahy, Astrodyne TDI on behalf of Alcom Electronics